Tuesday, 11 May 2010

We've been working away on a new 'official' web site for rock'n'roll guitar legend and former Rolling Stone, Mick Taylor. A project we are very pleased to be associated with. The brief included developing a contemporary logo for Mick, that could be applied to merchandise. The brief also required us to develop the content of the site to be 'forward looking' - focusing on what Mick is planning to do, while acknowledging his past accomplishments. For those of you readers, who have no idea who Mick Taylor is, below is a extract from his site:

Mick Taylor’s legend and contribution to rock’n’roll cannot be overstated. Mick is a pioneer of electric blues, whose unique style helped define the genre. Taylor invented modern rock’n’roll lead guitar in the early 70’s when he helped turn a pretty good band into the greatest rock’n’roll band in the world, what’s more, his playing is as brilliant today as ever.

Guitar Legend
Taylor is an alumnus of the legendary school of British guitar gods of the mid 60’s. This exclusive group boasts such names as Beck, Clapton, Green and Page. Never in the history of music has such an influential class of musicians had such a lasting impact on music development. Despite their common roots in the blues, each of these guitar greats went on to create new musical genres that persist until today. Page forged heavy metal, Beck created jazz/fusion, and while Clapton championed the blues in various forms, Taylor invented rock’n’roll lead guitar. The phenomenon of having this number of influential guitarists developing at the same time and place is unprecedented in music history and is not likely to ever be seen again.

Unique Style
Taylor has a distinctive playing style and sound that is unique, rich in tone and universally recognisable. Of his British contemporaries, Taylor’s style is the most expressive, melodic and inventive. His trademark vibrato gives his playing an incredible feeling of power and beauty which accentuates his work like an exclamation point, and his slide guitar is the most fluid of any of his contemporaries.

The magic of Taylor is not just in what he plays, but also in what he does not play. He has an uncanny ability to capture the essence of a musical passage, no matter how complex or primal, with sheer precision and intense feel. His masterpiece solo in The Rolling Stones ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’ is a case study in perfection. This spontaneous, one-take effort begins with a very minimalist, ethereal run of notes and builds in intensity until the listener is locked into an intoxicating repetitive loop with seemingly no escape until it all comes to an abrupt end. This beauty is contrasted with Taylor’s ability to send a three-chord, Chuck Berry barn-burner like ‘Bye Bye Johnny’into the stratosphere with his blistering rhythm chops that give the song just what it needs and takes it completely beyond being a mere cover tune.

Virtuosity
Taylor’s technique and instinct are virtually impossible to imitate. While he has been replaced in bands like the Blue Breakers and The Rolling Stones, his shoes have never been filled. Today, despite its success in perfecting the raunchy groove that has become its trademark, even the great band that is The Rolling Stones fumbles its way through trademark Taylor passages in live performances. The Stones have performed these songs hundreds of times, more than Taylor ever did when he was with the band.

Legacy of Bands
Taylor has played in some of the greatest bands in rock history and on some of the greatest albums of the rock ‘n’ roll era.

As if his tenure with John Mayall and The Rolling Stones weren’t enough, Taylor is also one of the greatest hired guns that is still active in rock ‘n’ roll having played with the likes of Bob Dylan, Jack Bruce, Ron Wood, Billy Preston, John Phillips and numerous others. His guest performances demonstrate the strength of his talent and are immediately recognized as trademark Taylor work. Even his solo work has received great critical acclaim. This legacy has commanded deep admiration and respect from fans and the music community.

Thursday, 6 May 2010

Today might be election day, but something really, really important happened last night. It's very rare that we get involved or pin our colours to mast like this, and I must say it's only Me - Mike - that really is excited by this. But! As a life long Spurs fan - at last! - I've got to say it's great to see my side finally win that place in the Champions League after years and years of trying.

Well done to Harry and the team, and everyone involved. And in honour of this achievement, I think now is an appropriate time to dig out that old piece of dusty vinyl, stick it on the turntable and sing along to Chas & Dave: http://tinyurl.com/2ws4h7m